Interface module

Abstract

An interface module includes a touchpad that is transparent and able to detect a user's press, a display screen, disposed behind and cooperating with the touchpad to form a touch screen, and a front frame including an exterior periphery and an internal rim, delimiting in the interior space of the front frame a front housing and a rear housing. The touchpad is disposed inside the front housing and the display screen is disposed inside the rear housing.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An interface module, comprising:
 a transparent touchpad, able to detect a press by a user; 
 a display screen, positioned behind the touchpad and collaborating with said touchpad to form a touch screen; 
 a frontal surround, said frontal surround being made of magnesium and comprising an exterior periphery and an internal rim, delimiting in the interior space of the frontal surround a front housing and a rear housing, 
 wherein the touchpad is positioned inside the front housing and the display screen is positioned inside the rear housing, and 
 wherein the internal rim protrudes directly from the exterior periphery and wherein the magnesium allows for the internal rim to be of a small thickness. 
 
     
     
       2. The interface module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the touchpad and the display screen are held against the internal rim by bonding. 
     
     
       3. The interface module as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the bonding means is a bead of silicone. 
     
     
       4. The interface module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the internal rim is comprised within a range extending from 0.35 to 0.5 mm. 
     
     
       5. The interface module as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the thickness of the internal rim is 0.4 mm. 
     
     
       6. The interface module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein there is a gap between the exterior periphery of the touchpad and the interior face of the exterior periphery and wherein the length of this gap is comprised within a range extending from 0.7 to 0.9 mm. 
     
     
       7. The interface module as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the length of this gap is 0.8 mm. 
     
     
       8. The interface module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the frontal surround is electrically grounded. 
     
     
       9. The interface module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the touchpad is covered with a polarizing film forming the frontal surface of the interface module, said polarizing film furthermore being bonded to the periphery of the frontal surround so as to close the front housing. 
     
     
       10. The interface module as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a casing back, closing the rear housing and comprising deformable protrusions on a casing-back surface closing said rear housing. 
     
     
       11. The interface module as claimed in  claim 10 , further comprising fixings passing through the casing back and engaging with the periphery of the frontal surround to compress the protrusions and fix the frontal surround to the casing back. 
     
     
       12. The interface module as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the fixings comprise self-tapping screws passing through the casing back and engaging with the periphery of the frontal surround. 
     
     
       13. The interface module as claimed in  claim 10 , further comprising a plate, arranged behind the display screen and fixed to said display screen by second fixings. 
     
     
       14. The interface module as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the plate engages with fixings used for the casing back and the frontal surround. 
     
     
       15. The interface module as claimed in  claim 13 , further comprising a printed circuit positioned in the rear housing. 
     
     
       16. The interface module as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the plate is positioned between the display screen and the printed circuit. 
     
     
       17. The interface module as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the plate has pressed studs forming supports for the printed circuit. 
     
     
       18. The interface module as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the plate is a pressed and cut aluminum plate. 
     
     
       19. The interface module as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the pressed studs are positioned facing the protrusions of the casing back. 
     
     
       20. The interface module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the surface of the frontal surround is covered with a thin coat of dark lacquer.